Living with Atrial Fibrillation: What are Your Experiences?

Thank you for describing it. I haven't had exactly that symptom. I suppose your doctor is a cardiologist or your primary? It is hard to know what specialist to ask about it. Why assume it is the AFib? (Maybe because I don't think I am aware when I am experiencing the AFib most of the time). That reminds me to check with this group and see if anyone ever has a dark shade come over half of one eye. Or blurry vision occasionally in one eye. Over the years, I didn't automatically assume these were migraine symptom, because the migraine-related visual disturbances (usually called aura) I have had in the past is more like fractured vision, like not seeing all the words on a page because of spots. Usually preceded by headache, nausea, but not in recent years. Very confusing to figure out cause of symptoms -- whether heart, brain, or eye symptom.

Brain zaps are sensory disturbances that can feel like shock sensations in the brain. A person may also notice a brief buzzing sound and feel faint or black out momentarily ( I have never blacked out). My eyes seem to automatically close and I see bright lights and patterns in my field of vision. The zap only lasts for a few seconds but keeps repeating for a length of time. It seems that each time it happens it can be a little different, like the zap may be followed by a flushing feeling in your body that fades.
I know this is so freaky strange that it is hard to believe but believe me it happens. The not knowing what or why is terrible and scary.

what do you mean exactly?
I have AFib. I recently had a bout of amnesia that was preceded by a severe headache and vomiting. Neurologist I consulted said more likely to be seizure or migraine. No one related it to the AFib though I do take Lipitor and an anti coagulant to prevent strokes... so... what is a brain zap!!? to use your terminology.

My A Fib comes and goes and when it comes it is with brain zaps! Which makes it twice as frighting. I have told my doctor about the brain zaps but he doesn't reply , like he either doesn't want to talk about it or he doesn't believe me.

I have had AFib for a year or so and am on Metoprolol and eliquis. They seem to work well. I cannot take a Watchman because I am allergic to nickel. So all of a sudden I went into sinus rhythm for the past two weeks. I got back on stress and no caffeine. I am 82 and that is all I will do.

I don't because they can sometimes contain other substances that I either don't need or don't want, especially sweeteners of any kind. However, they may contain other electrolytes in quantities that might put my system in the hyper range which can bring problems of their own. I haven't investigated the comparative cost, but my guess is that a pill with 200 mg of whichever electrolyte you're short of every two/three days will be cheaper than a commercially prepared solution with its plastic/glass container, also a cost.
If you really do need to drink the solution, I would think about 100-200 mg per day, or every other day, so you have to read the labels and find out what the volume of each container is promising to give you.
Last point: ones kidneys are what are supposed to release overages of electrolytes, whether sodium, potassium, magnesium, or calcium. Kidneys that are in moderate or poor condition may struggle to regulate the concentrations of these in the blood and in the urine, so you should probably run your intentions past your physician to ensure you can be monitored for at least a few weeks to see how your system handles the additional consumption. Just a suggestion.

Does anyone drink electrolytes, like Smart Water, to lessen Afibs?
If so, how much do you drink per day? Does it help?

It isn't curable. It is blocked or managed. If your heart stops AF suddenly, it somehow blocked its own disordered path that caused the AF in the first place, but the point is that the heart did build that wrong pathway to begin with, meaning it's electrically disordered. There is a good chance you'll be in AF again in the future. No, not a certainty, but a non-negligible chance.

I think what it all means is that right now you don’t have AFib even though it can return. Getting an ablation/medication keeps AFib away for whatever amount of time your body reacts to it. I’m praying my ablation works for the rest of my life because I don’t want to get another one - too hard on my body and mind at age 79. Stay well.

I have had afib once, and cardio doc will NOT let me off blood thinners. I do have palpitations. I never heard of getting a clean slate.. good for you!